Riley was born January 2, 1943. He raced between the years 1974-2003. In 2004 a heart attack put an end to his racing career, or so it was thought, but he remained a true fan of the sport. In 2007, he began running carts again and wagon in 2009 through his son and nephew. Riley is married to Evelyn Burns, which they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in January of 2011. They reside in James Smith. The Burns & Sons racing stables are composed of Riley, his son Vince, nephew Buggy, and grandson Shawn. Riley credits chuckwagon racing for helping him with over 30 years of sobriety. He enjoys visiting with friends and family on the trail.